This invention relates generally to an apparatus for removing the skin from an animal carcass and methods of skinning an animal. In particular, the invention relates to a transportable apparatus having a relatively small footprint that is attached to a support and methods of using the same.
Animals provide a valuable food source for people. The vast majority of the edible portion of an animal consists of muscle tissue that is typically covered by skin or hide. As such, an animal's skin is usually removed before the muscle tissue can be accessed. In removing the skin of an animal, commonly referred to as skinning, it is highly desirable to prevent the outside layer of the skin from contacting the inside flesh and muscle layer, or meat of the animal. The outside skin of the animal may contain parasites or other contaminates found on animals in the wild. Contact between the outside skin and meat of an animal may result in contamination of the meat.
People have developed numerous devices and methods for safely removing skin from animals ranging from hand-held tools to large industrial machines. One type of animal skinning apparatus provides for a transportable device that can be used in connection with hunting. Many types of game are hunted including without limitation deer, antelope, raccoons, and bears. Often times these animals are rather large. Hunters typically travel into rather uninhabited areas to hunt. These areas provide limited access, requiring the hunter to travel by foot or small vehicle such as an All Terrain Vehicle. In such situations, hunters face difficulties in removing whole game felled during a hunt. Other times, hunters may be able to remove whole game but wish to skin and butcher the game themselves. Many devices exist to assist hunters in skinning and butchering game. Specifically, many attempts have been made to design a transportable, winch based device where an animal's skin is attached to a fixed point and the animal is hoisted up, thereby pulling the animal out of its skin.
One form of this type of animal skinner utilizes an electrically powered winch to hoist the animal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,559 to Kinnebrew discloses an apparatus having a large base, a pair of support or frame members, a carcass hanger, an electrically powered winch, and skin retaining clamps. The winch is directly connected to the carcass hanger and is powered by an outlet or a battery. This apparatus contains integrated electrical and mechanical parts and multiple support portions.
Another form of this type of animal skinner is self-supporting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,601 to Cope discloses an apparatus with a base that extends outward from the main portion of the apparatus. The apparatus is angled so that the base supports the weight of the apparatus and an animal attached thereto. This apparatus has a relatively large base and fills a considerable area.
The current hoist animal skinners suffer from certain drawbacks and limitations. Accordingly, a need exists for a hoist animal skinner that is easily transportable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, relatively compact, and solves other problems associated with the existing animal skinners. Of course, the present invention may be used in a multitude of situations where similar performance capabilities are required.